The Multiple Personalities of the Business Analyst

Most of us are familiar with the story of Frank Abignale, Jr. He’s the guy that the DiCaprio/Hanks movie Catch Me If You Can was based on. To say that Frank was a jack of all trades is a huge understatement. He was employed as a doctor, a lawyer, and a pilot all before he was 18 years old! The problem with Frank was, as you are aware from the movie, that he was in actuality NONE of those things! He was just an incredibly gifted con artist.

Believe it or not, I can identify with Frank Abignale. No, I’m not a con artist, but in my work as a business analyst, I take on many roles to benefit my clients. I’m an investigative reporter. I’m a psychologist. I’m even a hostage negotiator! Sound exciting? Seem unlikely? Well, let me tell you…… it is and it’s not!

When I am interacting with a client, the first hat I put on is one of the investigators. I’m here to get the facts, Ma’am. Nothing but the facts. My role is to help you flesh out an idea you have or a problem you need to solve. I dig in. I ask questions. And then I report back to you what you’ve told me. I confirm my sources. I check and double check my facts. When I’m sure I’ve got the lead story down, it’s time to switch hats.

I pay attention to what you’ve said and what you’ve left unsaid. I tell you how I’ve interpreted the situation and invite you to work with me to identify solutions that will work for you. Most of all, I listen. I act as a sounding board for your thoughts and frustrations and hopes for this thing that you want to achieve. I become and remain your advocate.

This is where my third hat comes in. Calling myself a hostage negotiator is pretty darned dramatic. But in my own way, that’s what I do. I take your ideas, requests, frustrations, hopes, all of it, and I negotiate with the parties needed to bring everything to a conclusion that benefits all parties. In practical terms, this often means bringing your business requirements to a technical team, bringing back their understanding to your team, and back and forth. The end goal is to achieve what you’re looking to do within a time frame and a budget that is mutually acceptable to all parties. Again, I am your advocate.

In my time working with Digineer, I’ve had the opportunity to watch some incredibly talented people do their work, including other business analysts. We at Digineer are committed to being your advocates and bringing you the conclusion you want in your projects and business objectives. It’s what we do and we are very good at it.

So, if you’re looking for people who can handle a challenge and roll with the role, reach out to me at ckowalczyk@digineer.com and learn about the amazing team at Digineer. We won’t let you down!